Operating a PWC

In New Jersey, these are the operating laws for PWC.

• A PWC operator must always face forward.
• A PWC may not be operated:
  • Between sunset and sunrise
  • During periods of restricted visibility
  • In the Point Pleasant or Cape May canals
  • In a way that causes the PWC to become airborne within 100 feet of another vessel
• A PWC may not be operated above “minimum headway speed” within 100 feet of:
  • Buoys or signs that mark the boundaries of a swimming area
  • A shoreline
  • A person in the water
  • A residential dwelling unit
• A PWC must be operated in a responsible manner. Maneuvers that endanger people or property are prohibited, including:
  • Operating a speed such that the PWC cannot be stopped safely
  • Weaving through congested vessel traffic
  • Jumping the wake produced by another vessel at a distance within 100 feet of any vessel